17 Travel Hashtags to Use & Follow on Instagram

I love Instagram and I'm not afraid to admit it. I'm not the least bit ashamed of my slight addiction because I'm willing to bet that most of you are similarly obsessed. Well, why would you have clicked on this post if you don't love Instagram? And just in case you're not a fan of the fast, easy, double-tapping social media platform, you may not want to stick around. We probably wouldn't get along anyway.

For travelers and anyone who would like to travel (that's basically everyone, right?), Instagram allows us to share our current adventures or virtually cure the travel bug by scrolling through other people's adventures.

Recently, I've grown pretty tired of the typical #hashtags that I, along with most other travel bloggers, am using. Many blogs instruct us to add #travel, tag the country you're in, then the city, and maybe add in an #instatravel or #wanderlust, then post for the world and pray for the likes. While this may be effective, it can get pretty boring. Especially when I'm looking through the #travel feed and the photos are a blend with such a broad theme.

So in order to spark a little creative inspiration with your travel photos, I've put together a list of my favorite creative travel hashtags:

1. #FromWhereIStand

This is the perfect selfie for people who aren't too photogenic, but do wear great kicks and stand in cool places. These pictures are also a reminder for all of us travelers as to where our feet have taken us. Why not take a picture like this in every country/city/continent and start your own collection!

2. #JustBackFrom

If they're better than cheap magnets and plastic keychains, share your souvenir collection after returning home from a great trip. Condé Naste Traveler's account @CNTraveler features the best of these photos.

3. #WeEatWorld

This hashtag stems from @GirlEatWorld a.k.a. Melissa, a Singapore-based photographer whose collection of "hold up food in front of interesting scenery" pictures went viral. Her main mission is to stuff her face around the world. Melissa tags her own pics with #GirlEatWorld and encourages others to tag similar posts with the #WeEatWorld hashtag. WARNING: Do not scroll through this feed if hungry or dieting.

4. #FollowMeTo

In 2011, Russian photographer Murad Osmann's girlfriend got annoyed of his contact picture taking and started dragging him through the streets of Barcelona. But this didn't stop Murad and actually inspired him even more. Since then, Osmann has posted a collection of these photos taken around the world onto his popular Instagram account and the images have gone viral. Many others have also been inspired by the pose and now the #FollowMeTo feed is filled with similar photos.

5. #Whatsinmybag

Step 1: Take everything out of your bag. Step 2: Arrange it all in an eye-catching, creative layout. Step 3: Add in something else that is not normally in your bag, but will make others find you interesting. Step 4: Stand above the neatly organized materials and snap a picture. Step 5: Post on instagram with the hashtag #whatsinmybag.

Okay, so that's generally how it goes, but this hashtag is also great to learn about new gadgets, products and snacks that you may also want to toss into your bag before your next trip.

7. #AirportCarpet

If you can take a second to stop in between the TSA screening, grabbing your Starbucks latte and sprinting to catch your connecting flight, you may want to look down. There is usually something underneath your quick moving feet that most airport travelers ignore: the carpet. If you scroll through the feed of this hashtag, you'll see swirls of bright colors and unusual patterns that would only otherwise be used on the rug of a Las Vegas casino or upholstery of the seat on a charter bus.

8. #OnTheRoofs

Two young guys started climbing onto roofs and and a new hashtag was born. Vitaliy Raskalov from Ukrain and Vadim Makhorov from Russia are photography partners, travelers and working together on this social project dedicated to urban exploration. Scroll through their shots and if you're not afraid of heights, start contributing to the collection.

9. #FlyingTraveler

Junanto Herdiawan is an economist in Indonesia Central Bank who spends his time off levitating around the world. Okay, well he's actually just fooling us all with some play on perspectives. But how neat are these pictures? Definitely a step up from the basic #jumpstagram. Junanto's signature pose has become popular with other travelers as well, which inspired the #FlyingTraveler tag.

10. #DailyCortado

No Instagram account is complete without a coffee picture. Or many coffee pictures. Possibly daily coffee pictures. I won't judge, nor will I complain. Just as long as the latte art is on point. Lipstick stains and well-placed props are also appreciated. Scrolling through this feed is like virtual espresso without the bad breath or mid-morning crash.

11. #FriendsAndWalls

Grab a friend and find a wall. If you have no friends, grab a selfie stick and find a wall. It can be the Berlin Wall, the Great Wall of China, or just a plain ol' wall… whatever you decide! These types of pictures are so simple, yet so striking.

12. #WYMTM

#WYMTM, short for “What You Missed This Morning”, is for beautiful sunrises and foggy mountains to be rubbed in the face of your oversleeping friend with a FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). The hashtag was established by CyclingTips founder Wade Wallace back in 2008 in order to make people jealous when they skip a morning bike ride. It has recently grown to be used more widely by early risers - cyclist or not. The hashtag has also inspired a photo competition on CyclingTips each December.

15. #AirplaneFood

#Airplanefood is far from #foodporn or #nomnom or #delicious, but it's an interesting meal to document and a great hashtag feed to explore typical meals across different cultures. You may even book your next flight based on an airline's peanuts or bottomless wine.

16. #PuddleGram

Rainy days while traveling can be frustrating. While you may feel like hiding under the covers in your hotel room watching repeats of Cupcake Wars dubbed in Spanish, you have a new reason to venture out and see the sights through a different perspective: the #puddlegram.

17. #EmptyChairsProject

Who doesn't like taking pictures of empty chairs? In airports.. outside coffee shops… in the park. Raphaël Liais (@raphaelliais) noticed empty chairs in Casablanca, Morocco and began a personal project of uploading these photos onto Instagram with the tag. Since then, this hashtag has developed a following and more people are becoming inspired to 'gram these chairs instead of plopping down on them.

About Kelsey

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Hey there! I'm Kelsey. I'm attempting to create a life full of adventure and excitement. After living and traveling abroad for years, I now live a more settled life in Washington, DC while working in social media and traveling every chance I get. I'm a strong advocate for #WeekendWanderlust. Let’s adventure!